The Federal Government has released ₦50 billion to settle earned allowances for Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other federal university staff. This was announced in a statement on Wednesday by Folasade Boriowo, Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Education.
According to Boriowo, the release of funds is a testament to President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s education sector. The government aims to transition the nation from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy through strategic investments in education, infrastructure, and human capital.
The move is expected to address long-standing disputes between university staff unions and the government over unpaid allowances. The development comes after years of industrial actions and negotiations between the unions and the government.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, welcomed the release of funds, describing it as a significant step towards improving the welfare of university staff. The payment of earned allowances is expected to boost staff morale and productivity in federal universities.
This development is seen as a positive step towards resolving the long-standing issues between the government and university staff unions, and it remains to be seen how this will impact the overall education sector in Nigeria.